Milking-machine.



No. 672,346. Patented Apr. I6, |90l.

C. VON BECHTOLSHEIM.

MILKING MACHINE.

{Application tiled May 9. 18982` (No Model.)

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CLEMENS VON BECHTOLSHEIM, OF MUNICH, GERMANY.

WHLKING MACH-HNE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,346, dated April 16, 1901..

Applicationled May 9, 1898.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CLEMENS voN BEGH- TOLSHEIM, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Munich, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The subject of the foregoing invention constitutes animprovementinmilking-machines; and it consists in imparting opposite vertical movements to milk-cups through the medium of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure in such a manner that they impart a pressure against the udder by their upward movement and through their downward movement exert a pull upon `the teats, and thereby reproduce the eilectof milking by hand. In each milkcup an elastic diaphragm is arranged, which embraces the teats, and through the periodical pressure of the said pneumatic or hydraulic medium during the upward movement of the milk-cups the diaphragms are opened to receive the teats; but during the descent of the. milk-cups they are closed in order to exert a pressure upon the Leats. Consequently by this improvement there is both a pressure and a vertical pull exerted on the teats within the diaphragm during the descent of the milk cups and simultaneously a pressure against the udder through the medium of the ascending cups.

These improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line VI VI, Fig. 2, showing a construction in which two pairs of milk-cups move oppositely up and down-that is to say, one pair ascends while the other pair descends. Fig. 2 is a partial pian view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of Fig. l. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the cylinder lying between the milk-cups.

In each milk-cup 9' and 9 is secured an elastic cup or diaphragm 19, the upper end of which is attached to the rim of the outer rigidcup, while the lower end terminates in a tube 20. Each tube 20 is set tighty into the lower end of the outer cup 9/ or 9". The several tubes 2O may be connected through a coupling 2l with the conducting-pipe 22.

The two milk-cups 9 are connected by pipes b'elbl NO- 680,187. (No model.)

10 with the working cylinder l1, while the two other cups 9 are connected through pipes 28 with the hollow projecting piston-stem 24 ofthe piston 25, and by suitable openings 25, Fig. 4, the hollow piston-body is in communication with the upper space of the cylinder. The ends of cylinder 11 are connected through independent pipes 26 with the respective ends of a pump 13. The pipe 20 of the milk-cup 9' lies within the pipe l0.

The operation of this embodiment is as follows: Assuming that the milking-machine has been suspended beneath the udder and the several parts of the same are found in the positions illustrated in Fig. l, if the pumppiston is moved to the lett there is produced on the one hand a pressure on the lower end of the cylinder l1 and in the milk-cups 9 and on the other hand a vacuum in the upper end of the cylinder ll and in the milk-cups 9. The elastic diaphragms of the milk-cups 9 will cling to and compress the teats inclosed; but the diaphragms of the milk-cups 9 will distend. The piston 25 at this time ascends with the milk-cups 9, while the cylinder 1l descends with the miik-cups 9', and the latter exert a pull in addition to the pressure upon the teats. The milk-cups 9' having arrived in their lowest position and the milkcups 9 in their highest position, the piston of the pump 13 now moves to the right, when the above-described parts execute opposite movements to those described and the other pair of teats is milked by cups 9, while cups 9' ascend to press the udder and assume a new hold upon their contained teats.

Since I may actuate the parts by either hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, I use the term fluid-pressure in its broader sense-that is to say, to designate either a gas (e. g., atmospheric air) or a liquid under pressure.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A iiuid-pressure-actuated milking-machine, comprising a centrally-arranged cylinder ll with pressure-supply pipes, a pair ot' milk-cups carried by said cylinder, a piston movable up and down in said cylinder by the actuating Huid-pressure and having a pistonrod and a second pair of milk-cups carried by said piston-rod, whereby the pairs of milk- IOO cups move in opposite directions and are caused to alternately impose a pressure against the udder and exert a pull upon the teats.

2. A fluid-pressi]re-actuated milking-inachin e,consisting of a centrally-arranged cylinder, a pair of milk-cups carried by said cylinder, a piston Working in said cylinder and having a piston-rod, a pair of milk-cups carried by said piston-rod, and a iiexible diaphragm suitably secured in each milk-cup, pressed against the teats by said fluid-pressure.

3. A uid-pressure-actuated milking-machine consisting of a centrally-arran ged cylinder provided with pipes through which pressure is communicated to opposite sides of its piston, a pair of milk-cups connected through a pipe with one end of said cylinder, a piston Working in said cylinder and having a hollow piston-rod, a second pair of milk-cups connected through a pipe with said hollow pistourod, and a diaphragm in each of said milkcups; whereby iiuid-pressu re entering the cylnder through the pressure-supply pipes not only actuates the piston in said cylinder but also compresses the diaphragms in said milkcups against the teats.

The foregoing specification signed this 20th day of April, 1898.

CLEMENS VON BEGHTOLSHEIM. In presence of- EMIL HENZEL, CARL JGER, 

